Hero
by Ione-Sama
Summary: Caroline Forbes has always put herself last; being the strong, brave and fearless one for her friends and loved ones whenever they needed a strong shoulder to lean on. But what happens when tragedy strikes, threatening Caroline's strength of spirit? Will Those friendships and Love be enough to save her? Or will the last man she ever expected to return, be her hero.
1. King of the City

King of the City

Klaus sat on the balcony of his lavish fifth floor flat, overlooking the lively night activity in Bourbon St. New Orleans. A glass of one hundred year old scotch idled in his hand as he reclined back on a vintage French Revolution chase that had been in his family for over three hundred years. It had been eighteen months since he'd returned to this city that had been his home so long ago. Once there, he'd realized what a fool he'd been to leave, dragging his siblings with him on the pretext that they would soon be discovered and hunted once more. Leaving seemed the most rational decision at the time and yet now, as he thought back on it he realized that it was nothing more than a coward's failsafe; running for fear of being hunted down like a dog. A smirk broke out across his chiseled features at the irony for he was in fact, for lack of a better term, a dog—a werewolf.

Even on return however, Klaus hadn't meant to remain in New Orleans for long; he had specific business, to discover the witch Deveraux's plan against him and what her purpose and motive was behind it. Of course it hadn't been as open and shut as he'd originally hoped…hell, it never was. Once he'd come across Deveraux he was too late. The eldest Deveraux was murdered at the hands of Marcel and he was instantly caught up in the swirl of a conspiracy plot, orchestrated by the younger Deveraux witch, Sophie involving a startling revelation that he'd fathered a child with Hayley. He soon learned that the witches planned to use her and his unborn child as leverage to enlist his help in the overthrow of Marcel's archaic rule in hopes to regain their place of prosperity and prestige in the French quarter. In the weeks and months that followed, he submitted himself as a pawn in their deadly chess game, gradually inserting himself into the inner circle of Marcel's associates, eventually gaining access to the heart of Marcel's most trusted friends and family. He shook his head, grinning at how quickly and easily he'd infiltrated Marcel's forces but a part of his mind still hung on the troubling fact that even though he'd been Marcel's mentor and close companion for decades, Marcel seemed completely unaware of his movements and motives. After the violent incident at the club when Klaus assaulted one of Marcel's men in retaliation, he was certain that any attempt at rekindling any level of trust between himself and his former protégé would be extremely difficult if not impossible. But even Klaus underestimated his own skill and cunning; it had been only too easy to smooth over the temporary rift between the two men, enabling him to move forward with his plan. Of course, it wasn't always easy going; as a part of the witches' coo, he was subjected to the constant watchful eye of Sophie and her associates. Weekly midnight meetings were non-negotiable as Sophie insisted on being kept apprised of Klaus' progress and Marcel's movements. For himself, Klaus cursed every waking moment he suffered being the witches hunting dog but he stemmed the insupportable situation, reminding himself that each day brought him closer and closer to reclaiming the right to King of the city and all the power and loyalty Marcel possessed would finally be his.

At length, his conspiring train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the urgent footsteps of his older brother and companion, Elijah who came bursting through the French doors that led out onto the balcony.

"Honestly Elijah, you hardly have a flare for making a dramatic appearance; that's always been my style, don't you think?" Klaus grinned snidely, not glancing up as his brother approached him.

"Honestly Niklaus, I hardly think that 'a flare for the dramatic' really suits you; that's always been Rebekah's forte."

Klaus scoffed, taking a generous sip of scotch and savoring the slow smooth burn sliding down his throat. "Perhaps so, although I believe our dear sister always takes it a bit over the top when it comes to the dramatic."

"Well hopefully she's put a hold on her 'promising Broadway act' in exchange for a more subtle supporting role—this letter came for you, Rebekah's handwriting is on the label."

Klaus set the glass of scotch aside and took the letter from Elijah's outstretched hand. Brandishing a letter opener he broke the seal and read:

Dearest Nik,

I know that your business in New Orleans takes precedence over the needs of your family; however at this moment I am not writing you on behalf of myself. Something terrible has befallen Mystic Falls in your absence and I fear the possibility that Tyler and your former hybrids may be behind it. I've met with the Salvatores as well as the Bennett witch and they share my suspicions that it is something connected to you. This however is not the worst of it—Liz Forbes was the first to head the investigation of mysterious disappearances and it was soon discovered that only the founding families were being targeted, specifically the mothers. Upon further investigation, Liz received a series of threatening letters, warning her to back off from the investigation or suffer the consequences. Liz headed them too late, in favor of her 'duty to protect the citizens of Mystic Falls' and as a result was viciously attacked a fortnight ago.

I don't pretend to be desirous of involvement but Liz Forbes has information—though limited—on the possible elusive suspects and their fear of being discovered will doubtlessly lead them to eliminate the threat of Liz—and anyone close to her. I'm not sure what information she may have—if any—but it must be damaging to their purpose and the Salvatores also believe that whoever had access to this intel will be in certain danger. As a result of the attack, Liz has been hospitalized in a heavy medically induced coma; she's in critical condition—Caroline knows of her mother's enemies and of her own endangerment but she refuses to leave her side. We've tried to keep a close watch on Caroline as well as Liz but you know as well as I do that in the face of brewing enemies, it's nearly impossible to maintain the safety of all involved while hunting your target at the same time! We've done all we can.

Nik, I can only hope that despite your hatred towards the Salvatores, Elena and the Bennett witch, that you will not allow that to compromise what you do best—Elijah once told me that he still believes there is good in you; a reservoir of virtue in the depths of your black heart that can still be saved. He has perhaps been a truer sibling than the rest of us in keeping faith that you are still the descent man you once were. Please, come home both you and Elijah. As soon as you can.

Your sister

Klaus' hands shook and his knuckles whitened as he gripped the letter in his hands, his eyes scanning the lines that regarded Tyler, the hybrids, Liz…and _Caroline. _He read them and re-read them over and over, his jaw tensing and his stance rigid. He scarcely read the closing sentiments before the letter was carelessly discarded, its previous handler frantically bursting indoors. "Book the next flight to Virginia, I don't care if its coach, the bloody cargo bay or if you have to compel us a private jet, just get me that damn flight now."

Elijah noticed a certain level of intensity and panic laced in his brother's voice; one he'd never quite encountered before but upon a brief examination of Rebekah's letter, one word jumped off the glossy champagne stationary, causing Elijah to spring into immediate action—"_Caroline." _


	2. Return to Mystic Falls

Return to Mystic Falls

_**Eighteen months earlier…**_

_Caroline stood frozen in the small cozy living room of her small town home. Her fingers felt icy and the chilling sensation slowly spread to the rest of her body until it reached her very core. Losing Tyler for the umpteenth time had been unbearable enough but this…this was somehow unspeakably worse than anything she'd ever felt. _

_ She'd known that the first time Tyler had been on the run, he was looking for a way to break his sire bond to Klaus and in the process, he'd met and become close to other remnants of Klaus' hybrids—a small pack of powerful hybrids that helped Tyler who in turn helped them to break their sire bond. She'd been so happy and proud of Tyler when he'd finally won back his freedom—but she had mixed feelings for reasons that were perplexing and unclear to her—that was until she rolled in to town. The first blow came when she first encountered the sultry brunette at Tyler's. An awkward confrontation ensued—in which Klaus suddenly made an appearance—and she learned that not only had her beloved boyfriend concealed Klaus' presence in town but he'd also completely omitted his previous 'friendship' with Hayley—the alluring brunette who had a sassy grin that made Caroline want to revisit her less palatable diva high school days, and bitch slap the expression right off her face. If this wasn't bad enough, Klaus then cornered Tyler with an accusation of a previous lascivious love affair with Hayley during his run with her pack—Caroline waited for Tyler to deny it but the young man with wide astonished brown eyes and gaping lips, could only stand in stunned silence, not once meeting Caroline's eyes nor making any denials against the accusation. Caroline was shattered and she could almost hear the millions of pieces to her heart break, colliding with the hardwood floor. In her rational mind, she knew it was Klaus and his conniving cruelty that chose to take advantage of Tyler's vulnerability and divulge his dirty secret. He doubtlessly had his own motives which she would know better than anyone, centered on her and his ceaseless endeavors to steal her heart. It was not in any manner in consideration of her or her feelings because Klaus was a selfish man who only sought his own comforts and devices. But none of that mattered in that moment. She was too devastated by betrayal and broken promises and far too blinded by the flood of threatening tears that pooled in her crystal orbs, to see or even care what Klaus motives were. All she saw was Tyler standing there in front of her, his head hung in shame and his deep brown eyes darting between Klaus and Hayley—never once meeting her gaze. It was all the confirmation she'd needed; without a word she'd turned and brushed past Klaus and out the door—she never once looked back. _

_ The second blow came when after a barrage of desperate phone calls from Tyler that spanned a week, begging for a chance to explain, his calls and texts suddenly became non-existent and three weeks later he'd shown up to the Miss Mystic Falls pageant with none other than Hayley on his arm. It would have been ten thousand times more unbearable if Klaus hadn't been there with her—the two of them had become friends through the strangest series of events and as Tyler walked up with Hayley's hand clasped in his, Klaus had turned a tentative, anxious glance Caroline's way, his blue eyes reflecting a hint of the deep concern he held for her as he watched, dreading each unsavory scenario of possible reactions. But to his surprise—and smug pride, Caroline held herself with the utmost dignity and decorum and only someone who was watching closely, would have detected the pain she felt as it flashed through her eyes, disappearing a split second later. Caroline would always be grateful that Klaus had been there that day—he not only saved her from an afternoon and evening of humiliation but from herself and her swirling thoughts that would have no doubt driven her mad. _

_ All of this flashed through Caroline's mind as she stood gripping the door frame of her living room and the edge of the nearby armoire, for support. Stefan sat quietly on the edge of her couch, watching her closely, his brows knit together in intense worry and compassion. _

"_How…how do you know this?" Caroline's voice finally broke the silence, barely above a whisper but her eyes stayed transfixed to the opposite wall, behind Stefan's head. _

_ "Elena…"_

"_When?"_

_ Stefan hesitated. He'd been in Caroline's exact position once before and he knew the pain, hurt and uncontrolled rage that was ebbing its way through her veins…and he hated it. "Last week; it was after he told you to have Tyler leave town…again."_

"_I don't understand what…she was the one who caused him to lose Tyler in the first place! And if it hadn't been for her, Tyler never would've been able to show the other hybrids how to break his sire bond. And the plan to kill Klaus that was…that was all her. I mean sure, Tyler wanted Klaus dead, possibly more than anyone but he never would've…he never would've seriously gone through with it unless he had someone on his side! Someone that had been sired to Klaus for longer and who would know better how to break him…"_

_ Stefan waited as Caroline took one slow step forward, her eyes still fixed on the wall and her hands frozen slightly away from her body as she mentally worked through the history of Klaus and Tyler's connection and how it coincided with what Stefan had just told her. _

_Suddenly, Caroline stopped and her eyes widened and shifted their gaze onto his. "Oh my god." She breathed. "Klaus…he knows Hayley was always against him, he knew she would eventually find some way to at least try to destroy him the first chance she got! He probably anticipated it I mean we both know Klaus isn't stupid, he wouldn't make an army of hybrids, sire bind them and naively think that they would never rise up against him, he would expect it! That's why the sire bond exists in the first place!"_

_ Stefan knew as the moments ticked agonizingly by, that Caroline was coming closer and closer to what he himself had always known from the first moment Klaus laid his eyes on her. _

"_He…he did this because of me. Tyler leaving town to break the sire bond, returning with Hayley, the plan she and Tyler worked up to kill him, Klaus killing twelve of his hybrids, forcing Tyler to leave town again it…it was all because of me! He even told me, he…the last time I saw Tyler before he left, Klaus…after Bonnie's spell broke, he left the house and he said that he'd done it all for me…'it was all for you, Caroline.'" _

_ Stefan's head lowered sadly before his green eyes rose once more and were met with her now watering blue ones. "Klaus has always wanted you, Caroline. I saw it. Elena saw it, hell even Damon saw it when Klaus first came here a year and a half ago. He didn't care who was in his way, he didn't care you were already spoken for, that you hated him. He was going to have you no matter what. But…then when you two became friends, you still rejected him even then and it's like he finally realized that he was going to lose. That no matter how hard he tried or how much he changed, you would never let Tyler go long enough to see him the way he desperately wanted you to."_

_ "…And then he came to graduation…he told me that night he'd let Tyler come back…he'd already sent for him to come home." Caroline's eyes now spilled over with quiet tears as the weight of it all suddenly struck her like a sweeping tidal wave. _

_Stefan nodded his voice quiet. "That was Klaus' way of almost letting go; at least as close as someone like him can come to, to letting go."_

_ "But he told me…he told me that Tyler was my first love…but that he intended to be my last no matter how long it took those were his exact words, Stefan!"_

"_I know he felt he meant it but I also know what it's like to watch the one you want, the one you love, love and want someone else and to fight with every fiber of your being to win them…only to realize in the end that they won't ever be yours no matter how bad you wish. And eventually you just bury yourself in resignation but eventually you can't stand it. You become angry, resentful and eventually you want them to hurt just as much as you hurt…and when you look for ways to hurt them long enough, eventually…you find them."_

_ "He slept with her….in spite of everything she's done to try to ruin him, destroy him. He slept with her…all because of me. Because he wanted to hurt me as much as I've hurt him. Because he knows how much T-tyler and her, hurt me—he knows how angry I was and how much I just wanted to…rip her apart in front of Tyler and then rip him apart, he still…he knew that fucking her would be far worse than anything else he could…possibly do to me; worse than sending Tyler away again, worse than killing him or hurting my friends…" Caroline's voice shook and trembled and her hands began to steadily shake as she sank into the chair across from Stefan. _

_Stefan waited a few moments longer before he moved out of his seat and knelt down in front of Caroline, taking her trembling hands in his. "Caroline…Care, look at me."_

_ Slowly, trembling, Caroline raised shaking eyes and a tear-stained face to meet Stefan's gentle gaze. _

_Stefan looked in her eyes for a long moment, watching the surge of emotions as they bubbled over in her tears. He wasn't sure what reaction he would receive at the question he was about to ask but he knew that he had to hear it from Caroline's own lips and Caroline needed to hear it from herself—out loud. "Do you love him, Caroline?"_

_ Her crystal blue eyes darted to his in shock. "W-what?" she gasped. _

"_Klaus. Do you love him?" His voice was a bit more firm but it never lost its gentleness. _

_ Suddenly a barrage of fresh tears, flooded her eyes and escaped down her porcelain cheeks as her lip began to tremble and her fingers suddenly found the collar of Stefan's shirt, holding on for dear life. Her blue eyes met his green ones once more and her answer was a breath of the smallest whisper. _

# # # #

_**Present Day…**_

Klaus and Elijah exited the airport in Richmond and met Rebekah in the waiting Mercedes. "You drove my car, I see." Klaus gritted his teeth as his sister gave an exaggerated sweet smile. "I thought I'd keep the old girl running smoothly while you were away; she was terribly lonely and aching for someone to drive her around."

Elijah laughed at his younger siblings' banter. "You're lucky if he doesn't stake you when we get home."

"Oh why wait? I've always basked in the pleasure of living in the moment." Klaus eyed her menacingly, but kept his countenance schooled into a pleasant—if somewhat forced—smile.

Rebekah merely scoffed as she climbed in the passenger seat upon receiving a warning glance from Klaus, slamming the door behind her. "Oh please, a flare for the dramatic has never suited your character, Nik; you should leave those flamboyant antics to the expert." She shot him a smug grin followed by a snicker from Elijah in the backseat. "Don't say I never told you so, Brother."

# # # #

Two hours later, the trio pulled into sleepy little downtown, Mystic Falls and were greeted with surprisingly little inhabitants' activity. "Don't tell me you brought us all the way back here for this, Rebekah; I truly hope you haven't cost us two plane tickets and a long tedious two hour drive, under false pretexts." Klaus' voice was tense as he pulled to a stop at the intersection; the blinking red traffic light blared through the windshield, irritating his vision.

Rebekah rolled her eyes, side-glancing her brother. "You do realize the time, right Nik? It's late and considering the town's been plagued by disappearances, I doubt anyone has a fancy for late night outings at a time like this."

"You said it was only the founding families being targeted." They pulled through the gate of Mikaelson mannor before coming to a stop and exiting the car.

"Yes but only I and the Salvatores know that! The less people that know, the less uncontrollable panic there will be. No one's going to take any chances either."

Elijah heaved the three suitcases out of the trunk before closing it with a solid thud, leading the way into the house. "You know if you two could stop going at each other's throats for once, maybe we could actually work together and figure out a way to stop this?! Or at least find out exactly who is behind it? Not to mention we still have the dear sheriff and her daughter to worry about; Liz may be in a coma and safe for the moment but there's nothing keeping whomever this is, from coming back and finishing the job…and Caroline could be next." He spoke the last part gentler, catching his brother's blue eyes flash with a mix of fear and anger.

"Nothing will happen to Caroline…or her mother. Am I clear?" Klaus gritted out, his eyes flashed threateningly as he gave each of his siblings a pointed look. "That's why we're here. Doubtful the Salvatores and the rest of the Scooby gang can handle this little drama by themselves. This is something for the experts, the wise ones and let's be blunt; compared to one thousand year old originals, the Salvatore brothers are nothing more than adolescent children. They don't have the experience, the ruthlessness or the cunning skill that it takes for a fight like this. We do. As a family we have what it takes to stop this. Now make no mistake, if anything goes wrong…or _anyone _gets hurt on account of carelessness, I am holding both of you responsible and mark my words I will not hesitate to stake you myself. The only havoc we're wreaking is with the enemy, whoever it may be."

Elijah and Rebekah exchanged a knowing glance but both knew better than to take their brother's words lightly; they might be family but when it came to his enemies, Klaus was calculating, lethal and deadly…and you better not get in his way. And if there was another thing that both Elijah and Rebekah knew it was that no one woman in their brother's entire existence would ever be more important or precious to him than Caroline Forbes. Despite her repeated rejections and countless slanders towards him, it would never matter. Klaus would be devoted to her for the rest of his immortal life and his heart—no matter how wounded and scarred—would always be hers alone, whether she wanted it or not. "We should rest for the night. Rebekah has a meeting with the Slavatore brothers and the Bennett witch tomorrow morning; we should be there as well."

Klaus had his back to his brother and sister, staring out into the night. "No. Both of you should go. Keep me informed of everything that is said in that meeting, Elijah; I'll join the both of you later."

"Wait. Where will you be then?"

Klaus paused, looking over his shoulder at them, a grim smile spreading across his chiseled features. "I have a special house call to make."


	3. Old Flame

Old Flame

The following morning, Klaus was up before the sun and went out hunting. Under normal circumstances, he would've chosen his victim and drained them completely without a second thought. But for some reason he didn't have the appetite for it this morning. Compelling the young waitress at the local Mystic Grille, he fed for only a brief moment in the back alley before he left her to "go inside, clean yourself up and you won't remember anything that happened."

That afternoon, Klaus drove to the hospital with the gas pedal to the floor and the steering wheel gripped so tightly in his hands, his knuckles were white. However, once there he hesitated in the parking lot. How could he show his face after a year and a half of absence? What would she think of him…would she even want him there, want to see him? Now that he was here, on the threshold of meeting Caroline after so long being away, he had never considered the possibility that perhaps she wouldn't want to see him. Not now or ever. Perhaps when he'd left, it had finally liberated her to move on with her life; to bury the painful past of Tyler and him together in a tomb, never to be opened. What if he only caused her more pain and suffering by suddenly appearing after so long? Though he'd hurt her so deeply in the past, the last thing he ever intended or wanted was to cause her more pain. Maybe he should just forget it all…forget her and leave her alone to live her life in peace. But just as his troubling thoughts began to solidify into resolve, he caught the strong scent of werewolf and his sharp senses shifted into overdrive. He was out of the car in an instant and moving at vampire speed with only a mild consideration as to who might see him. Once inside, he moved stealthily through the halls, moving out of sight at the approach of any medical personnel. He continued from the first floor up, sweeping each room quickly yet thoroughly as he made his way up. The werewolf scent was stronger and more pungent as he reached the tenth floor—the ICU. He moved through the double doors marked Authorized Medical Personnel Only and slowed his pace to a walk, constantly checking over his shoulder and his periphery for any unsuspecting attack. He reached the third hall and that's when he smelled it, the deep, pungent unmistakable scent of werewolf—hybrid. He paused for a brief moment and let his original hybrid senses completely take over. Closing his eyes, he sniffed the air and allowed his instincts to direct him. His hearing picked up a sound coming from the last door down on the right and he moved till he was standing just outside. He could pick out the frail heartbeat of Liz Forbes from inside…but then there was another heartbeat much more elevated but the rhythm wasn't…natural. Then a strong whiff of werewolf hybrid reached his nose and he moved to steal a glance between the door jam and the door frame. There was a tall, athletically built black man standing over Liz's bed. Klaus could barely catch the man's profile but on speculation, he guessed that the hybrid was no older than perhaps Tyler Lockwood and perhaps came into transition around the same time. Just then, his perusal of the young hybrid was interrupted by a noise from the adjoining room—most likely the washroom—as the sound of a flushing toilet followed by the rushing water of the faucet reached his ears. His blood suddenly turned cold. That had to be Caroline; after all, his sister mentioned in her letter the young vampire's refusal to leave her mother's side. Just then, the door to the bathroom clicked open and before he could react, Caroline's scream was stifled by the strong hand of the young black hybrid, smothered over her mouth as he crushed her into the wall with the force of his own body. Her blue eyes were wide with surprise and a hint of terror passed through them but was immediately replaced with a defiant anger.

Klaus waited for a brief moment; as much as his heart and protective instincts were telling him to break down the wall and viciously rip the hybrid's heart from his pathetic carcass, his mind and hybrid instincts were telling him that Caroline was in too compromising of a position; if he made a move now, the hybrid could very easily brandish a concealed stake or worse; a werewolf's bite was deadly to a vampire and even with his Original blood to heal her, the hybrid could easily rip out her heart and then, there would be no chance to save her. He had to wait for just the right moment to strike…preferably when there was a bit more space between Caroline and her attacker which could only come if the hybrid was either careless or arrogant or if Caroline could in some way persuade him to release his hold just long enough.

"You know why I'm here, Vampire?"

Caroline opened her mouth, but the hybrid's strong grasp around her throat made it extremely difficult to speak. Her response came out raspy and strangled but she mustered all the strength she had and inserted as much venom into her voice as possible. "You're here…because you're boss is a pussy who can't do his own dirty work; he has to hire…d-dogs like you to do it for him!"

"You have a lot of fire in you, that's obvious, blondie…but you should be careful how you talk about my boss, he's not someone to be underestimated." The hybrid's hand loosened ever so slightly around her throat and at this, Caroline let out a mirthless laugh.

"I'm sure…I'm sure when he's in bed at night, he has you all read him bedtime stories and in the morning you bring him his bottle so he's not whining like a bitch the whole day."

Klaus couldn't help the smug smirk that crept over his lips; Caroline's fire and spirit were always the two things he admired most about her and he was proud that neither had diminished in his absence. Despite her present dire situation, Caroline wouldn't show fear and she most certainly wouldn't go down without a fight—another thing he—if somewhat grudgingly—loved about her.

"Be careful Blondie—you don't know who you're dealing with." At this, he leaned in closer until his lips were mere inches from her ear as he whispered menacingly. "In fact it's the people closest to you that you should be most afraid of."

Suddenly, Caroline caught sight of movement near the doorway and her undead heart nearly dropped to the pit of her stomach. The air in her lungs was suddenly knocked out of her as her blue eyes collided with a familiar piercing sky blue gaze.

Klaus motioned for her to remain quiet and calm as he moved noiselessly into the room, keeping out of sight of the currently preoccupied hybrid.

Caroline's eyes spoke a silent 'ok' and she turned her attention back to her attacker. "You know what? You're right; the ones closest to you _are _the most lethal and dangerous."

The hybrid eyed her then, his hand nearly loosening completely from around her neck. "So you know this—then you must know who I'm speaking of?"

"Well no, actually…I was speaking of one of _my _enemies."

At this, Klaus and Caroline shared a knowing smile which went unnoticed by the hybrid.

"So you know then that people closest to you—are the most deadly." His voice dripped with a threatening tone as he ran a finger down her jaw line to the tip of her chin.

Caroline's eyes never left Klaus as she spoke with steady conviction. Through a brief non-verbal exchange, she told Klaus to wait for her signal. "Yes, the closer they are to you, the more likely they'll know the exact moment—when you are at your most _vulnerable._"

Klaus knew the signal and in the flash of a split second, Caroline used all her vampire strength and force to push against her attacker. Surprised by her attack, he stumbled back several steps, trying to gain his footing. His eyes flashed yellow and his fangs beard as he prepared to lunge at her in a violent rage.

But the attack never came. Completely unaware of his unseen opponent, he'd let his guard down, making himself completely vulnerable and at just the right moment, Klaus took the opportunity he'd been waiting for. Coming at the hybrid from behind, he caught him in a headlock, snapped his neck then ripped his heart out from front to back, letting the hybrid's limp body crumble to the floor, blood flowing from the now gaping through-and-through hole in his chest and pooling around him.

Caroline stood motionless against the wall opposite, she hadn't moved in the short seconds that had brought her attacker to his unfortunate demise. Her chest heaved up and down as she struggled to catch her breath, her eyes rising to meet Klaus' once again. She still couldn't believe he was actually _here. _It all didn't seem real or possible. He'd left so long ago—without even saying goodbye and she'd been certain she would never see the blonde blue eyed original ever again. Yet, in a desperate moment when her life was once again, threatened, he'd suddenly appeared—just like always—at the right moment saving the day—not to mention her life for the millionth-and-one time. She took this moment to fully look at him—to see him. Overall he still looked the same; tall, broad shoulders, strong chiseled features, strong jaw and who could ever escape those piercing blue eyes. They were the kind that pierced into your soul if you allowed yourself to look into their depths long enough. Before she knew it, her eyes were scanning every inch of him from his designer black shoes and fitted designer jeans to his strong hands—now covered in blood—and his muscled arms and broad shoulders clothed in a Calvin Klein silver dress shirt with his classic leather jacket. Her eyes never missed the sliver of exposed alabaster skin visible by the casual unbuttoned collar of his dress shirt that formed a V. For a moment, she felt a heat bubbling in the pit of her stomach that caught her by surprise then her eyes finally found their way to his hair and her blue orbs widened ever so slightly. His normally closely groomed, tamed curls were now a few inches longer and swept carelessly over his forehead, barely brushing the top of his ears and neck. It reminded Caroline of a character from a classic Jane Austen film and she instantly found this wild, carefree look on him much more appealing than the previous staunch, bland uniform style he'd always sported. A glimmer of a smile shown on her glossy pink lips but unbeknownst to her, tears began to glimmer in her eyes as they came to meet his once again. "Klaus…?" She whispered. Even after all he'd done, all the pain he'd caused he was still here—in the moment she needed him most. He was always there for her, even if she didn't know it at the time. And now, after all this time he was still here, right when she needed him. Yet, the person that should've been standing there in all rights was Tyler. Tyler was still her boyfriend, despite the fact that he'd been on the run for months, he still should've been the one—the first person to be there by her side. And she'd called him. Still unsure of whether or not he still even had his cell phone, she'd called him numerous times, begging him to come home; Klaus had been gone for over a year! Surely Tyler must have known that; he could've come home at least for a few days, to give her the support and love she so desperately needed. But not a word had been heard from him and no indication of him returning any time soon had been given. Something deep down inside told her that he knew—that he'd somehow heard what happened. Yet for whatever reason, he stayed away and she couldn't keep the endless questions of whys from swirling in her head or the growing hurt and anger from coursing through her veins.

"Caroline…" Klaus' soft, husky voice broke through her thoughts; the unmistakable British accent now had a hint of New Orleans twang but still, she would've known that voice even if she'd been blind folded. "Caroline I…Rebekah sent me a letter. I came as soon as I heard; yesterday actually—Elijah's with me. We know about the disappearances. Rebekah and Elijah are with the Salvatores now—we're going to find out who is behind this; I promise you we will find—" Klaus was caught off guard when Caroline suddenly launched herself into his arms, the tears that had been building, suddenly spilled over as she sobbed into his shoulder. Her arms wound tightly around his neck and if he'd been a mere human, she would doubtlessly be choking him. But he only returned her bone-crushing embrace, afraid she would move out of his arms at any moment if he let her go.

"You…you're _here! _You're actually here?! How did you…how are you here?!"

"It's alright—hush, Love…I just am. I'm here and that's all that matters; I'm not going anywhere either, I'm here to stay."

A mired of emotions flashed across her features as she pulled away just enough to look at him. She looked surprised, confused, frightened, angry and happy all at the same time as her eyes darted frantically between his. "I just—I can't believe—I mean you shouldn't be here—but you—somehow you are and I…But Tyler isn't…" at this she trailed off and her eyes briefly cast to the floor.

He sensed her hesitancy and he wondered if it was because she still felt the pain of losing Tyler or if she didn't want thoughts of Tyler to ruin this moment with him—he secretly hoped it was the latter. "Tyler's not here then." He said carefully. It was more of a statement than a question for it was obvious.

She shook her head, meeting his eyes once again. "I've called him. Left messages, I…I mean I don't know if he's gotten any of them but…"

"Listen Caroline, I understand that you want to be here with your mother but you certainly know now that you are in danger; you're a target. You need to be in a place where you're safe. A place where we can keep you safe.

"Klaus I can't leave her…you just saw what happened, if I hadn't been here, he would've killed her!"

"I know that and I'm not suggesting we leave your mother alone; she's still at risk. But I have a sneaking suspicion that when your mother wakes up and discovers that I didn't do all within my power to protect her only daughter, I'd be on the lethal end of a white oak stake." His eyes lit up with a small smirk and Caroline couldn't keep her own smile at bay, knowing he was right; her mother was definitely a force to be reckoned with, especially when it came to her.

"So what do we do?" she asked finally.

Klaus paused for a moment, wiping the last remnants of tears from her porcelain cheeks with his thumbs. "We're going to have a protection detail with your mother at all times."

"But…no offense to any of the officers in Mom's precinct but they can't stand up to the kind of people we're dealing with!"

Klaus' dimpled grin warmed her cheeks, causing a tint of rosy hew to appear. "Oh you grossly underestimate my connections, Love." The mischievous glint in his eyes told Caroline that he had a very specific and special kind of protection detail in mind.

# # # #

"Even if we do figure out who is behind this, how are we supposed to find them?" Bonnie stood in the large Salvatore mansion drawing room; Stefan sat brooding in the large chair and Damon stood leaning against the wall near the window, a glass of bourbon in his hand.

"Because as soon as we find the son's of bitches behind this, we capture one of them and torture him—or her—until they talk, simple." The casualness in Damon's voice suggested he was merely reading a newspaper article; He always had a very cold, calculating outlook on the world but especially when it came to confronting a new enemy.

Bonnie eyed him reproachfully. "Damon not every human or supernatural creature for that matter, will always cower before you…whoever this is, they're smart. Brilliant and extremely skilled; they haven't left a single trace to tell us who they are or where they're hiding! We can't just walk out into the middle of the woods blindly and hope that something or someone connected to them, will turn up—that would be suicide."

"You know if we manage to get to the bottom of this Scooby mystery, we really need to talk about your comforting bedside manner, Judgey."

"I'm just saying that we need to have more of a plan before we start breaking down walls and crashing down doors!"

"But for once, could you not be always so dooms-day about every single plan and suggestion I come up with? Nothing I say is ever good enough when we're figuring out a plan but then when it comes right down to the fight, we end up having to do it my way anyway because your more diplomatic-let's-sit-in-a-circle-and-sing-cumbaya- approach sucks and always ends up getting someone killed!—and more times than not its you and I'm always the one having to charge in and save your ass!" Damon stood in front of her now staring her down but Bonnie stood her ground—she never let Damon push her around and this was not the time for one of his tantrums.

"You're the one who makes that choice, I never ask you to risk your precious self-centered ass to save mine."

Damon paused, his glacial blue eyes wide and piercing hers. There was the smallest hint of a smirk creeping its way across his lips and Bonnie braced herself for what she knew as inevitably coming next. "Yeah but if I'm not the hero saving your ass than no one else would have the balls to and plus, it boosts my budding humanitarian reputation. Besides, I think a part of you likes it when you see the tall, dark and handsome vampire rushing in snapping necks and ripping out hearts just to save you."

He was full on smirking now and as much as she tried, she couldn't hide the sparkle of a smile in her green eyes as Damon winked and leaned down, placing a chaste kiss to her cheek.

"Well if you two are going to start braiding each other's hair and painting nails then I'd much rather take my urgent business elsewhere."

The threesome were startled by the sound of Klaus' rich British accent echoing through the doorway.

Stefan was off the chair and charging towards Klaus, veins protruding from beneath his eyes and fangs fully barred.

"Stefan, DON'T!" Caroline placed herself between Klaus and the charging Stefan; at the sight of her, Stefan halted, his fangs retracted and his face returned to normal. "Carr?"

"Carr what the hell are you doing with _him?! _You know what, scratch that; what the hell is _he doing here?!_"

"You…you didn't know he was here?"

"Well actually, Stefan and I did but Witchy wasn't here for that meeting."

"Ok what the hell is going on here?" Bonnie shouted, turning on the two brothers, her eyes flashed with anger.

Stefan was the first to speak, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. "Look Bonnie we were going to tell you right away but Damon thought it would be better for us to meet with Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah first before we talked to you…in case they had other motives."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Really Stefan, you must get over that incessant brooding suspicion of yours; you'll start getting wrinkles in your forehead."

"Ok can we just can the melodramatics and get down to business please?" Caroline shouted exasperated.

Klaus glanced at Caroline, offering an apologetic nod.

"What do we know?" she looked at Stefan, then at Damon and Bonnie.

"Unfortunately not much." Bonnie began; the others took seats while Damon poured himself a drink. "We looked at all the information your mother had but the files were just bits and pieces that she'd picked up; nothing really substantial or connected that could lead us to any solid evidence."

Caroline let out a heavy sigh. "Ok so I think my question was 'what do we know' not 'what shit do we have that leads us nowhere'?!" she crossed her arms, an accusatory expression crossing her features.

"Care…we're doing everything we can; it's just not easy when we don't have much to go on but we're not giving up." Stefan offered gently.

At the sight of his gentle green eyes on her, Caroline let out a deep breath. "I know. You're right, I'm sorry I just…I just hate being stuck like this, all this waiting with nothing to do in the meantime because we have nothing so all we can do is just…wait!"

Klaus moved to stand next to Caroline and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and a small grateful smile graced her delicate features. The others in the room looked on bewildered and discomfited; how was it that Klaus and Caroline could suddenly be in the same room and be so civil—even friendly—with one another? It made no sense but then now wasn't the time to analyze the dynamics between the two; they needed to stay focused.

"Ok first of all, we have to figure out how we're going to hunt down this son of a bitch _and _keep Liz and blondie safe at the same time." Damon took a long gulp of bourbon, sucking on his teeth as he surveyed the faces in the room.

"Let me worry about that; the safety of Caroline and her mother is in my hands."

"Oh yes, that makes perfect sense since you've been so careful and considerate of their safety in the past." Damon mumbled sarcastically.

Klaus smirked then, meeting Damon's challenging gaze head on. "And of course, you of all people would know how best to take care of our dear Caroline." His blue eyes iced over as he watched Damon's expression change. "At least she always knew where I stood, I never threw her away then reeled her back in like a yo-yo and I never threatened the people she cared about to get what I want. But then that's always been your style hasn't it, Klaus? You do things with no purpose behind it, just because you're a dick."

"Ok that's enough." Caroline stood between the two men who were on the verge of blows, pushing them apart in warning. "We don't have time for this! We have to find out who is responsible for these kidnappings. I want to know who did this to my mother and kick their ass and until we do, leave your stick measuring for the football field, got it?" Caroline gave both Damon and Klaus a warning glare which, despite her petite stature, radiated intimidation letting them know she was dead serious.

Klaus nodded his agreement—he hated Damon's arrogance and hypocrisy and he'd love nothing more than to bring him down a notch or two—but he wasn't about to cause Caroline anymore frustration; she'd been through enough so he stepped down, returning to his place by the couch.

Caroline smiled her thanks then turned back to Damon, waiting expectantly. "Ok, fine but if he pulls something stupid or reckless, the truce is off." He turned away stiffly and walked to the fireplace.

"Alright, it's late. We need to put up for the night, try and get some sleep so we can be fresh in the morning. Caroline, we need to decide where you're going to be staying."

"She'll stay with me." Klaus spoke with finality, causing all eyes to turn on him; some with surprise, others with obvious suspicion.

Caroline gaped at him but was the first to recover from her initial shock. "Klaus…I…you know how much I appreciate you being here to help find out what happened to my mother but, I don't need you to baby sit me, you have enough to worry about already and I don't want to be—"

Klaus shook his head, turning to her and placing a hand on the side of her neck; his thumb and pointer finger gently caressed her cheek. "Please Love, I've already consented to your one wish by refraining from knocking Damon on his arrogant ass—don't ask me for more generosity than I can give for one night."

Caroline sighed heavily but a knowing smile reached her lips and she finally relented. She knew arguing with Klaus was not only tiresome but completely pointless.

"Al—right then, it's decided; Caroline will stay with Klaus and the rest of us will focus on finding a lead."

"Wait, what about my mother?" Caroline placed a hand on Klaus' chest, looking up at him imploringly.

"Don't worry about your mother, I'll be making some calls to a few contacts in New Orleans; until then, either Elijah or Rebekah will be with her at all times."

"No offense but your sister has never been our biggest fan."

"True but it's either a protection detail or a stake through the heart, she's clear on my instructions."

Damon rolled his eyes but couldn't completely conceal the smirk on his face. "Well aren't you just the most selfless big brother ever."


	4. Klaus' Gift

Klaus' Gift

Pulling up to the Mikaelson mansion, Klaus cut the engine, got out and walked around to Caroline's side, opening her door for her. She stepped out and looked up at the magnificent structure; it had been ages since she stood in this spot and yet it seemed like only yesterday had been the last time she'd been here—how quickly things change and how rapidly time goes by.

Klaus had unloaded her luggage—as well as his own—depositing it in the entryway. Now turning, he watched her as her eyes scanned the front of the mansion as if she was re-familiarizing herself with a place she had known before like the back of her hand. He only hoped that this time around, she would make happier memories within the walls of his home and that perhaps those memories would bring new intertwining possibilities and adventures for them both. "You awake there, Love?"

"Huh? Oh. I mean yeah, of course it's just…it's been awhile." She stuttered, shaking herself out of her thoughtful haze as she stepped past him and indoors.

"Yes well I suppose for someone who's only lived all of nineteen years, a year and a half would seem a lengthy period of time." He smirked a little when Caroline glared at him giving an exasperated roll of her blue eyes.

"Yes, ok we all know who has the most mileage on his engine, no need to constantly broadcast it—old man." She stifled a giggle when she caught Klaus' incredulous scowl. "Walked right into that one, Mikaelson."

"I'd be more careful about how much snobbish attitude I threw around if I was you, Love; remember you're in _my _castle now." He winked at her, easily carrying all of her luggage up the winding stairway in both hands.

She shook her head but smiled, following him up the stairs and down the long hallway.

"My room's on the left just here; in case you need anything in the middle of the night."

Caroline swore she could hear the implied innuendo and playful smirk in his voice even though his back was to her and again, she rolled her eyes. _Some things never change, no matter how much time elapsed. _"Good to know." She conceded as they moved past his room and further down the hallway that to her, seemed endless.

Klaus suddenly fell strangely silent as they came to two sets of solid oak French doors on the right. He paused momentarily at the first, contemplating whether or not he was ready for her to see this room. After only a moment and a tentative backwards glance at her, he knew his decision and pushed open the heavy doors to reveal an exotic room with soft champagne walls bedecked in intricate gold accented wood trim and cherry oak four poster queen sized bed elevated on a two-step platform, stood in the middle of the room. The bed had soft champagne and gold tapestries that matched the walls, hanging from delicate cast iron rods, connecting the four posts in a square frame. The bed linens were a mixture of soft champagne and gold, as were the mass of pillows that decorated the exquisite cast iron headboard.

Caroline let out a gasp as her eyes scanned the spacious elegant room-widening at the grandeur of it all. There was a tall cherry wood wardrobe off to the right of the large poster bed; it looked like it was from a completely different century and considering Klaus 1,000 year existence, it wouldn't surprise Caroline at all. An armoire and mirrored vanity stood off to the left accompanied by an elegant champagne cushioned bench seated in front of the vanity. There were a number of large floor-to-ceiling windows scattered evenly along the walls, bedecked in champagne and gold tapestries but a particular one on the center front wall caught Caroline's attention and she moved to get a closer look. Upon closer inspection she discovered it was a pair of window pained French doors that opened out onto a balcony.

Klaus caught the building excitement in her eyes and walked to the doors, throwing them open. "I know uncontainable curiosity when I see it; have a look, Love." A wide dimpled grin spread across his face, watching her bite her lip as her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

She came to stand at the railing and the view that met her left her completely breathless. She could see most of the Mikaelson front property and the horizon. "How big is it?" she breathed out finally.

"We have about 300 acres of land altogether…although most of it is wooded and hasn't really been excavated."

She turned to face him and looked over his shoulder into the room. "And all of this, what is it for?"

Klaus looked down, the first hints of uncertainty and vulnerability danced in his blue eyes when he met her gaze once again.

Caroline arched an inquisitive brow, watching his countenance carefully. "Klaus?"

"When I first met you…I was captivated by you, Caroline; but of course that's no secret. Something about you has always bewitched me and despite how desperately I tried to rid myself of it, I always had a fancy for you, even when I tried to kill your friends, Tyler…and even you."

She could sense how much of a struggle it was for him to open up like this so she stood quietly and listened to his every word.

"And even when you rejected me…a thousand times over, I hated you, I despised you but in truth I only desired you all the more. You remember at graduation when I told you that I would be your last love, no matter how long it took?"

A soft smile appeared on her lips and her eyes stared right back into his. "How could I forget, you were so arrogant I couldn't believe how sure of yourself you were especially after I'd rejected you all those times."

"Well even at that point—when I came to the realization for the first time that I may never have you—I still wanted to do something for you; I wanted to give you something that was unlike anything you'd ever received, something that would have much more value and significance than mere materialistic value. I spent weeks debating how I could possibly offer you anything that would impact you so deeply and then…it suddenly occurred to me so—I took upon myself—to complete one last final task before I left for New Orleans; and I determined it would be for you, every last part of it would be fashioned in the way I've always pictured you; bright. Luminous. Strong. Fearless. Delicate. Warm."

The words sank in and it suddenly dawned on Caroline as her eyes shot first to the beautiful room then back to his face. She then walked almost dazed passed him and when she came to the middle of the room, she stopped and slowly her eyes once again her eyes took in every intricate detail of beauty and elegance. "You built this—for me?" her voice was barely audible but Klaus heard it perfectly.

"Yes, Caroline; this room and everything in it; it was all for you. It's all yours."

She gasped again, her hand pressed to her chest in utter shock and disbelief.

Klaus walked quietly passed her to the east wall where a large Persian tapestry hung, apparently to concealing something behind it. "This was something that came to me in New Orleans one summer night; I actually saw it in a dream and I couldn't get it out of my head so I did what any irrationally hopeless artist would do." With that, he pulled on the tasseled ropes and in dramatic a flourish, the tapestry fell away, pooling on the cherry wood floor to reveal a large framed canvas that spanned nearly the entire length and width of the east wall. Caroline's breath caught, her eyes widened and at length, she let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. It was a stunning painting of her from the back, looking over her shoulder and the backdrop of the portrait was off of a section of balcony facing a stunning view that Caroline could only guess was the skyline of New Orleans. Klaus' portrayal of her was subtly provocative in that he had painted her completely bare from the waist up—although her front was completely concealed due to the angle—her long blond curls cascaded down her back and the expression on her face was a hint of a smile, accompanied by a seductive gleam in her deep blue eyes. There appeared to be some soft pink linen that pooled around the lowest portion of her back and the portrait gave the illusion that the rest of it was concealed clasped in her arms as she held it flush against her hidden bosom.

"Klaus…this is…"

"A bit salacious I admit but it is exactly how you appeared in my dream. I was walking down the hall that lead to my room and when I reached the doorway there you were… carelessly wrapped in the silk sheets of my bed, gazing out onto the open balcony and the street below. You must have heard me enter because you looked over your shoulder at me…just like that. Then I blinked and I was awake again—and quite alone in my bed I might add." He chuckled softly as he observed Caroline still enraptured by the portrait of herself.

Suddenly, she turned to face him and he caught tears welling up in her eyes, but they didn't spill over. "There are honestly no words in this entire universe that could even come close to describing what…how…It's all so beautiful!" she shook her head, still in disbelief but when her eyes met his she felt a burning warmth and tingling throughout her entire body. "Thank you…so very much, Klaus."

His grin broadened into a full on brilliant smile; her gratitude and the look on her face was all the reward he could ever hope for. "You are welcome, Sweetheart."


End file.
